"Then，signorina，"he said，still speaking very softly，"I assure you there is no need to worry over your uncle's safety.""What do you mean？"demanded Beth.
"People do not lose their way in our mountains，"he replied."The paths are straight，and lead all to the highways.And there is little danger of falling or of being injured.But—I regret to say it，signorini—it is a re?ection upon our advanced civilization and the good name of our people—but sometimes a man who is rich disappears for a time，and no one knows how it is，or where he may be.He always returns；but then he is not so rich.""I understand.My uncle is captured by brigands，you think.""There are no brigands，signorina.""Or the Ma?a，then.""I do not know the Ma?a.All I know is that the very rich should keep their riches secret when they travel.In Chicago，which is America，they will knock you upon the head for a few miserable dollars；here my countrymen scorn to attack or to rob the common people.But when a man is so very rich that he does not need all of his money，there are，I regret to say，some lawless ones in Sicily who insist that he divide with them.But the prisoner is always well treated，and when he pays he is sent away very happy.""Suppose he does not pay ？""Ah，signorina，will not a drowning man clutch the raft that ?oats by？And the lawless ones do not take his all—merely a part."The girls looked at one another helplessly."What must we do，Frascatti？"asked Patsy.
"Wait.In a day—two days，perhaps—you will hear from your uncle.He will tell you how to send money to the lawless ones.You will follow his instructions，and he will come home with smiles and singing.I know.It is very regrettable，but it is so.""It will not be so in this case，"said Beth，indignantly.
"I will see the American consul—"
"I am sorry，but there is none here."
"I will telegraph to Messina for the military.They will search the mountains，and bring your brigands to justice."Frascatti smiled sadly.
"Oh，yes；perhaps they will come.But the military is Italian—not Sicilian—and has no experience in these parts.The search will find nothing，except perhaps a dead body thrown upon the rocks to defy justice.It is very regrettable，signorina；but it is so."Patsy was wringing her hands，frantic with terror.Louise was white and staring.Beth puckered her pretty brow in a frown and tried to think.
"Ferralti is also gone，"murmured Louise，in a hoarsevoice."They will rob or murder him with Uncle John ！""I am quite convinced，"said Beth，coldly，"that your false count is a fellow conspiratora of the brigand called Il Duca.He has been following us around to get a chance toensnarea Uncle John.""Oh，no，no，Beth！It is not so！I know better than that.""He would lie to you，of course，"returned the girlbitterly."As soon as the trap was set he disappeared，bag and baggage，and left the simple girl he had fooled to her own devices.""You do not know what you are saying，"retorted Louise，turning her back to Beth and walking to a window.From where they stood they could hear her sobbing miserably.
"Whether Frascatti is right or not，"said Patsy，dryingher eyes and trying to be brave，"we ought to search for Uncle John at once.""I think so，too，"agreed Beth.Then，turning to theSicilian，she said："Will you get together as many men as possible and search the hills，with lanterns，for my uncle？You shall be well paid for all you do.""Most certainly，signorina，if it will please you，"hereplied."How long do you wish us to search？""Until you ?nd him.""Then must we grow old in your service.Non fa niente ！
It is regrettable，but—"
"Will you go at once？"stamping her foot angrily."Most certainly，signorina.""Then lose no time.I will go with you and see you start."She followed the man out，and kept at his side until hehad secured several servants with lanterns for the search.The promise of high caparraa or earnest money made all eager to join the band，but the padrone could only allow a half dozento leave their stations at the hotel.In the town，however，whither Beth accompanied them，a score of sleepy looking fellows were speedily secured，and under the command of Frascatti，who had resolved to earn his money by energy and good will because there was no chance of success，they marched out of the Catania Gate and scattered along the mountain paths.
"If you ?nd Uncle John before morning I will give you a thousand lira additional，"promised Beth.
"We will search faithfully，"replied her captain，"but the signorina must not be disappointed if the lawless ones evade us.They have a way of hiding close in the caves，where none may ?nd them.It is regrettable，very；but it is so."Then he followed his men to the mountains，and as thelast glimmer from his lantern died away the girl sighed heavily and returned alone through the deserted streets to the hotel.
Clouds hid the moon and the night was black and forbidding；but it did not occur to her to be afraid.